Mean, Moody, Magnificent
by lifedistilled
Summary: When Ada Sallory has a Ministry meeting with her ex fiancé Lucius Malfoy, she once again finds him attractive and appealing, despite the fact they're both married and parents. Convinced that he thinks nothing of her anymore, she forgets about him - until he comes to the Ministry to see her, and ends up taking her out. But she's not going to succumb to his charms again, is she?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

I scowled with frustration at myself in the mirror. I cursed my hair – it just wouldn't behave, and I cursed Kehran Grunwell for being ill and subjecting me to this ordeal. I should have been planning my presentation, for work next week, yet there I was trying to brush my hair into submission in my office.

Kehran is my boss, and she had chosen today of all days to have a debilitating potion-related accident. Therefore, she couldn't attend the meeting she arranged, with the one most egotistical person that I loathe more than anyone else alive, for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. So I was volunteered. I had a presentation to prepare, a report to finish, and I was supposed to be in a board meeting this afternoon, but no – today I had to apparate to Wiltshire to meet with the most arrogant member of the Ministry who is the bane of my existence. As an influential man and major presence in our Department, a meeting with him was considered to be a pleasure – not for me – but Kehran had been greatly disappointed that she wasn't up for it. In short I had to meet with Lucius Malfoy, my ex-fiancé from fifteen years ago, who left me for Narcissa to fulfil his father's wishes. I had only returned to the country six months ago, after having married and had children abroad while working for other ministries. I'd successfully managed to avoid him since my return to England, and had been extremely disheartened on learning that his absence from my life would have to come to an end.

Kehran had just about managed to come to meet me in my office to give me an overview of what would be happening.

"Ada, I'm sorry. He's such a busy man and I've been planning this meeting for nine months. It would take another six to reschedule, and we'll what he's got to say will be irrelevant by then. As the head of the department, I can't cancel this. Please," Kehran begged me in her rasping, sore throat voice. How did she do it? Even ill she looked professional and attractive, cherry red hair in place and pale green eyes shining, although now red-rimmed and runny from merlin-knows-what potion she'd accidentally taken. I ignored my pang of unwelcome sympathy.

"Of course I'll go Kehran. You should go home. Would you like some Tea or Coffee before I leave?"

"I'll have some tea, please. Here are the questions and my quick-quotes quill. I know you've used them before. It will make notes for you, I'll transcribe it all."

"I know nothing about him anymore," I murmured, trying and failing to suppress my rising panic.

"The questions will see you through. Go. You should apparate now. I don't want you to be late."

"Okay, I'm going. Go home. Here's your tea." I stared at her fondly.

"I will. Good luck. And thank you Ada – as usual, you're my lifesaver."

Gathering my bag, I smiled wryly at her, and then headed out the door to apparate. I couldn't believe I had let Kehran talk me into this. But then Kehran could talk anyone into anything. She's exceptional at her job. She's distinct, capable, alluring, opinionated, bewitching – and she's also a very close friend.

My destination was Malfoy Manor, a place I hadn't been in fifteen years. It's a huge dark mansion, all turrets and brick, a Victorian architect's fantasy, with the Malfoy family crest embedded not-so-discreetly onto the iron gates. It was quarter to two when I arrived, greatly relieved that I was not late as I was led into the enormous – and frankly intimi dating – brick, stone, candlelit entrance hall.

Behind a wooden table desk, a very attractive, groomed, blonde young woman smiled pleasantly at me. She was wearing the sharpest charcoal robes and white shirt I had ever seen. She looked immaculate.

"I'm here to see Mr. Malfoy. Ada Sallory in the place of Kehran Grunwell."

"Excuse me one moment, Mrs. Sallory." She arched her eyebrow slightly as I stood self-consciously before her. I was beginning to wish I'd worn one of my longline blazers rather than my patterned collarless one. I had made an effort and worn a velvet skirt, my heeled black ankle boots and a panelled jumper. For me, that was my version of smart. I tucked one of the escaped tendrils of my hair behind my ear as I pretended she didn't intimidate me.

"Mrs. Grunwell was expected. Please sign in here, Mrs. Sallory. You'll want the staircase on the far right, go up to the second floor." She smiled kindly at me, amused at my history with him no doubt, as I signed in.

She handed me a pass and the word VISITOR appeared fluidly on the front. I couldn't help my smirk. Surely it was obvious that I was just visiting. There was no other reason for me to be there and I certainly didn't fit in with the likes of the woman behind the desk.

I walked briskly up the staircase until I reached the second floor. The doors slid open in front of me as if aware of my presence, and I was in another large hallway – again all brick, stone and candlelight. I was confronted by another wooden desk and another young blonde woman dressed impec cably in black and white that rose to greet me.

"Mrs. Sallory, could you wait here, please?" She pointed to a seated area of black dragonhide chairs.

Behind the dragonhide chairs was a spacious room with an open door that held an equally spa cious dark wood table and at least twenty matching chairs around it. Beyond that, there was a floor-to-ceiling window with a view of the Malfoy estate that looked out through the gardens toward the hills. It was a stunning vista, and I was momentarily paralyzed by the view.

I sat down, fished the questions from my bag, and went through them, inwardly curs ing Kehran for not providing me with an overview about what this meeting concerned. I knew nothing about this man anymore. He could have changed or he could be the same. The uncertainty was galling, and my nerves resurfaced, making me fidget. I'd never been comfortable with one-on-one meetings, preferring the anonymity of a group discussion where I could sit inconspicuously at the back of the room. To be honest, I preferred my own company, reading a book, curled up in a chair in the living room of my home. Not sat twitching nervously in a colos sal brick and stone edifice. Everything about my life had changed since he had called off our engagement and even through falling in love again, marrying and having children, my old personality had never resurfaced, I had become quieter and more retiring – I had lost some of my confidence.

I rolled my eyes at myself for my shyness.

Another elegant, flawlessly dressed blonde came out of a large door to the right. What is it with all the immaculate blondes? Taking a deep breath, I stood up.

"Mrs. Sallory?" the latest blonde asked.

"Yes," I croaked, and cleared my throat. "Yes." There, that sounded more confident.

"Mr. Malfoy will see you in a moment. May I take your outer robes?"

"Oh please." I struggled out of the jacket.

"Have you been offered any refreshment?"

"Oh, no I haven't." Oh dear, is Blonde Number One in trouble?

Blonde Number Two frowned and eyed the young woman at the desk.

"Would you like tea, coffee, water?" she asked, turning her attention back to me.

"A black coffee, thank you," I murmured.

"Grace, please get the houselves to fetch Mrs. Sallory a cup of black coffee." Her voice was stern. Grace scooted up immediately and scurried to a door on the other side of the hallway.

"My apologies, Mrs. Sallory, Grace is our new intern. Please be seated. Mr. Malfoy will be another five minutes."

Grace returned with a mug of black coffee.

"Here you go, Mrs. Sallory."

"Thank you."

Blonde Number Two marched over to the large desk, her heels clicked and echoed on the stone floor. She sat down, and they both continued their work.

Perhaps Mr. Malfoy insisted on all his employees being blonde. I wondered idly if that was legal, when the office door opened and a tall, elegantly dressed, attractive dark skinned man with short hair exited. I had definitely worn the wrong clothes.

He turned and said through the door. "Are we still on for chess, this week, Malfoy?"

I didn't hear the reply. He turned, saw me, and smiled, his dark eyes crinkled at the corners. Grace had jumped up and opened the door to the staircase for him. She seemed to excel at jumping from her seat. She was more nervous than me!

"Good afternoon ladies," he said as he departed through the door.

"Mr. Malfoy will see you now, Mrs. Sallory. Do go through," Blonde Number Two said. I stood rather shakily and tried to suppress my nerves. Gathering up my satchel, I abandoned my cup of coffee and made my way to the partially opened door.

"You don't need to knock – just go in." She smiled kindly.

I pushed open the door and walked through as slowly as possible, and found myself confronted by a completely empty room.

Fuck! I was alone in Mr. Malfoy's office, or so I thought until a gentle hand placed itself on my back. I turned around slowly, looking at the floor the whole time. I had to steel myself to glance up. Merlin – he's hardly changed.

"Miss Kona." He extended a long-fingered hand, took my own, and kissed it softly. "It's been a long time. Where is Mrs. Grunwell? Please take a seat."

He looked nearly the same – which was attractive, very attractive. He's tall, and was dressed in fine grey robes, and black tie with perfectly neat white blonde hair and intense, pale grey eyes that regarded me carefully. It took a moment for me to find my voice.

"Oh. Actually–" I muttered. If this man's personality had changed a bit I'd eat my hat.

"My name isn't Kona anymore, I've been married. And Mrs. Grunwell had an accident this morning so isn't well enough to come, I hope you don't mind, Mr. Malfoy."

"And now your surname is?" His voice was warm, possibly amused, but it was difficult to tell from his impassive expression. He looked mildly interested, but above all, polite.

"It's Sallory. I'm the assistant manager of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad, and Kehran, I mean Mrs. Grunwell is the manager – she's my boss."

"I see," he said simply. I thought I saw the ghost of a smile in his expression, but I wasn't sure.

"Would you like to sit?" He waved me toward a black dragonhide buttoned L-shaped sofa.

His office was way too big for just one man. In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, there was a huge modern dark-wood desk that six people could comfortably eat around. It matched the coffee table by the sofa. Everything else was black – ceiling, floors, and walls except, on the wall by the door, where a mosaic of small paintings hung, thirty-six of them arranged in a square. They were exquisite – a series of mundane, forgotten objects painted in such precise detail they look like photographs. Displayed together, they were breathtaking.

"They're by a local wizard artist. I forget his name," says Malfoy when he caught my gaze.

"They're lovely. Raising the ordinary to extraordinary," I murmured, distracted both by him and the paintings. He cocked his head to one side and regarded me intently.

"I couldn't agree more, Mrs. Sallory," he replied, his voice was soft and for some inexpli cable reason I found myself blushing.

Apart from the paintings, the rest of the office was biting, elegant and detached. I wondered if it reflected the current personality of my ex-fiancé who sank agilely into one of the black dragonhide chairs opposite me. I shook my head, disturbed at the direction of my thoughts, and retrieve Kehran's questions from my bag. Next, I found some parchment and the quick quotes quill; my hands were shaking as I set them up. Mr. Malfoy said nothing, he waited patiently – I hoped – as I became increasingly abashed and agitated. When I plucked up the courage to look at him, he was watching me, one hand relaxed in his lap and the other cupped his chin as he trailed his long index finger across his lips. I thought he was trying to suppress a smile.

"Sorry," I stuttered. "I'm not used to this."

"Take all the time you need, Mrs. Sallory," he said.

"Do you mind if I used a quick quotes quill?"

"After you've taken so much trouble to set it up – you ask me now?"

I flushed. He was teasing me? I hoped. I blinked at him, unsure of what to say, and I think he took pity on me because he relented. "No, I don't mind."

"Did Kehran, I mean, Mrs. Grunwell, explain what the meeting was for?"

"Yes. It is to appear in your department's section of The Daily Prophet to show my support."

"Good," I swallowed nervously. "I have some questions, Mr. Malfoy." I smoothed a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

"I thought you might," he said, deadpan. He was laughing at me. My cheeks heated at the realization, and I sat up and squared my shoulders in an attempt to look taller and more in timidating. Waving my wand to set the quick quotes quill in motion, I tried to look professional.

"You are extremely wealthy and have what some refer to as an 'empire'. To what do you owe your success?" I glanced up at him. His smile was almost a smirk, but he looked vaguely sincere.

"Business is all about people, Mrs. Sallory, and I'm very good at judging people. I know how they tick, what makes them flourish, what doesn't, what inspires them, and how to motivate them. I employ extraordinary witches and wizards, and I reward them well." He paused and fixed me with his grey stare. "My belief is to achieve success one has to dominate their own pursuits, know everything inside out, every detail. I work hard, very hard to do that. I make decisions based on logic and facts. I have a natural gut instinct that can spot and nurture a good solid idea and good people. The bottom line is, it's always down to excellent people."

"Maybe you're just fortuitous." That wasn't on Kehran's list – but he's so cocky. His eyes flared momentarily in surprise.

"I don't subscribe to fortune or chance, Mrs. Sallory. The harder I work the more fortune I seem to have. It really is all about having the right people on your team and directing their energies accordingly."

"You sound very controlling." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Oh, I can be, Mrs. Sallory," he said without a trace of humour in his smile. I looked at him, and he held my gaze steadily, impassive. My heartbeat quickened, and my face flushed again.

Why did he have such an unnerving effect on me? Perhaps it was because I found him as overwhelmingly good-looking as I always had? Or because of the way he looked at me? Maybe even the way he stroked his index finger against his lower lip? I wished he would stop doing that.

"Besides, immense power is acquired by assuring yourself in your secret reveries that you need to control," he continued, his voice soft.

"Do you feel that you have immense power?"

"I employ over four hundred people, Mrs. Sallory. That gives me a certain sense of responsibility – or power, if you like. If I were to decide I was no longer interested in politics and the ministry and needed a change, two hundred people would struggle to pay their bills after a month or so."

My mouth dropped open. I was staggered by his lack of humility.

"Don't you have a boss to answer to?" I asked, disgusted.

"No. I don't answer to anyone." He raised an eyebrow at me. I flushed. Of course, I would know this if I had done some research. But merlin, he's so arrogant. I changed tack.

"And do you have any interests outside your work?"

"I have several interests, Mrs. Sallory." A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "They are very var ied." And for some reason, I was confounded and heated by his steady gaze. His eyes were alight with some wicked thought.

"But if you work so hard, what do you do to relax?"

"Relax?" He smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. I stopped breathing. He really is appealing. No one should be that good-looking.

"Well, to 'relax' as you put it – I walk, I read, I indulge in various extravagant pursuits." He shifted in his chair. "I'm a very wealthy man, Mrs. Sallory, and I have expensive and absorbing hobbies."

I glanced quickly at Kehran's questions, wanting to get off this subject.

"You invest in ministry law enforcement. Why did you choose this, specifically?" I asked. Why did he make me so uncomfortable?

"I like to enforce things. I like to be in on how things work: what makes things tick, how to punish and reward. And I have a love of leadership. What can I say?"

"That sounds like you talking rather than logic and facts."

His mouth quirked up, and he stared appraisingly at me.

"It is possibly. Though there are people who'd I say I don't have a heart, wouldn't you agree?"

"Are you referring to me?"

"You know me well." His lips curled in a sly smile.

"Do I still know you well?" And I regretted this question as soon as I said it. It wasn't on Kehran's list.

"Well as I said earlier, it's been a long time, Mrs. Sallory. Nowadays, I go a long way to protect my privacy. I don't often have one on one meetings," he trailed off.

"Why did you agree to do this one?"

"Because I support the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and for all intents and purposes, I couldn't get Mrs. Grunwell off my back. She badgered and badgered me, and I admire that kind of tenacity."

I knew how adamant Kehran could be. That was why I was sitting there squirming uncomfortably under his penetrative gaze, when I should have been preparing for my presentation.

"You also invest in several hospital-related charities surprisingly. Why are you interested in this area?"

"Some wizards are victims of unfortunate illnesses, Mrs. Sallory, and there are too many wizards in this country that don't get the right treatment."

"That sounds very sensitive. Is it something you feel passionately about? Curing the sick?"

He shrugged, very non-committal.

"You could put it that way," he murmured, though I thought he wasn't really telling the truth. It didn't make sense – curing the sick? I couldn't see the financial benefits of this, only that it made him look good. I glanced at the next question, confused by his attitude.

"Do you have a philosophy? If so, what is it?"

"I don't have a philosophy as such. I'm very driven. I like control – of myself and those around me."

"So you want to rule things?"

"I want to deserve to rule them, but yes, bottom line, I do."

"You sound like a huge control freak."

"Do I?" He smiled, but the smile didn't touch his eyes. Again this was at odds with someone who wanted to cure the sick, so I couldn't help think that we were talking about something else, but I was absolutely mystified as to what it was. I swallowed hard. The temperature in the room was rising or maybe it was just me. I just wanted that meeting to be over. Surely Kehran had enough information by that point? I glanced at the next question.

"Your father was a wealthy aristocrat. How far do you think that's shaped the way you are?" Oh, this was personal. I stared at him, hoping he wasn't offended. His brow furrowed.

"I don't know."

My interest had peaked.

"Do you think you are similar to what your father was like?"

"Again I don't know, Mrs. Sallory." His tone was stern. I flushed, again.

"You've had to sacrifice a family life for your work."

"That's not a question." He was terse.

"Sorry." I squirmed, and he made me feel like a devious child. I tried again. "Have you had to sacrifice a family life for your work?"

"I have a family. I have a son and a wife. I'm not inter ested in extending my family beyond that."

"Is your relationship good with your wife, Mr. Malfoy?"

He inhaled sharply, and I cringed, mortified.

"Yes Ada, it is." He raised his eyebrow, a cool gleam was in his eyes. He did not look pleased.

"I apologize. It's well… written here." It was the first time he'd said my name in fifteen years. My heart beat had accelerated, and my cheeks were heating up again. Nervously, I tucked my loosened hair behind my ear.

He cocked his head to one side.

"These aren't your own questions?"

The blood drained from my head.

"Well… no they're not. Kehran – Mrs. Grunwell – she compiled the questions."

"Are you friends as well as colleagues?"

"Yes. She's my boss but we are close, she lives near me and our children are friends."

He rubbed his chin in quiet deliberation, his grey eyes appraising me.

"Did you volunteer to do this meeting?" he asked, his voice deadly quiet.

Hang on, who was supposed to be interviewing whom? His eyes burnt into me, and I was compelled to answer with the truth.

"I was drafted. She's not well." My voice was weak and apologetic.

"That explains a great deal."

There was a knock at the door, and Blonde Number Two entered.

"Mr. Malfoy, forgive me for interrupting, but your next meeting is in two minutes."

"We're not finished here, Ellyn. Please cancel my next meeting."

Ellyn hesitated, gaping at him. She's appeared lost. He turned his head slowly to face her and raised his eyebrows. She flushed bright pink.

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy," she muttered, then exited. He frowned, and turned his attention back to me.

"Where were we, Mrs. Sallory?"

"Please don't let me keep you from anything."

"I want to know more about what your life is like now. I think that's only fair." His grey eyes were alight with curiosity. Where was he going with this? He placed his elbows on the arms of chair and steeped his fingers in front of his mouth. His mouth is very... beguiling. I swallowed.

"There's not much to know," I said, flushing again.

"What is your family like?"

I shrugged, thrown by his interest.

"I have a husband and three children, Mr. Sallory. I love them very much." I should have been spending time with them at that point rather than sitting in his palatial, swanky, sterile office, feeling uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze. "I also hope to progress more with my career."

"I could help you with that," he said quietly. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Was he offering me support?

"Oh. I'll bear that in mind," I murmured, completely confounded. "I'm not sure I'd fit in with the rest of your employees though." Oh no. I was musing out loud again.

"Why do you say that?" He cocked his head to one side, intrigued, a hint of a smile played on his lips.

"It's obvious, isn't it?"

"Not to me," he murmured. His gaze was intense, all humour gone, and strange muscles deep in my belly clenched suddenly. I tore my eyes away from his scrutiny and stared blindly down at my knotted fingers.

"Would you like me to show you around?" he asked.

"I'm sure you're far too busy, Mr. Malfoy, and I do need to get back to the ministry."

"You have to work now?" He sounded surprised, anxious even. He glanced out of the window. It had begun to rain. "Well, you'd better not work too hard." His tone was stern, authoritative. Why would he say that? "Did you get everything you need?" he added.

"Yes," I replied, putting the quick quotes quill into my bag. His eyes narrowed, speculatively.

"Thank you for the interview, Mr. Malfoy."

"The pleasure's been all mine," he said, polite as ever.

As I rose, he stood and held out his hand.

"Until we meet again, Mrs. Sallory." And it sounded like a challenge, or a threat, I wasn't sure which. I frowned. When would ever meet again? He kissed my hand once more, and I was astounded that the old current between us was still there. It must've been my nerves.

"Mr. Malfoy." I nodded at him. Moving with elegant athletic grace to the door, he opened it wide.

"I'm right behind you, Mrs. Sallory." He gave me a small smile. Obviously, he was referring to my earlier confused entry to his office. I flushed.

"That's good to know, Mr. Malfoy," I snapped, and his smile widened.

"Did you have outer robes?" Malfoy asked.

"Yes." Grace leapt up and retrieved my jacket, which Malfoy took from her before she could hand it to me. He held it up and, feeling ridiculously self-conscious, I shrugged it on. Malfoy placed his hands for a moment on my shoulders. I gasped at the contact. If he noticed my reaction, he gave nothing away. He took out his wand from his cane and flicked it sharply, the door in front of us began to slowly open, and we stood waiting – awkwardly on my part, coolly self-possessed on his. The door opened fully, and I hurried out desperate to escape.

"Ada," he said as a farewell.

"Lucius," I replied. And thankfully, the door closed again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

My heart was pounding. I arrived on the first floor, and scrambled out as soon as the doors moved open, stumbling once, but fortunately not sprawling on to the immaculate stone floor. I raced for the wide black doors, and I was free in the bracing, cleansing, and damp air of Wiltshire. I raised my face, and welcome the cool refreshing rain. I closed my eyes and took a deep, purifying breath, trying to recover what was left of my equilibrium.

No man has ever affected me the way Lucius Malfoy does, and I couldn't fathom why. Was it his looks? Was it his civility? Was it his Wealth? Was it his power? I didn't understand my irrational reaction. I breathed an enormous sigh of relief. What in merlin's name was that all about? Leaning against one of the brick pillars of the manor, I valiantly attempted to calm down and gather my thoughts. I shook my head. Holy fuck – what _was _that? My heart steadied to its regular rhythm, and I could breathe normally again. I headed for an open space.

As I apparated, I began to feel foolish and embarrassed as I replayed the meeting in my mind. Surely, I was over-reacting to something that's imaginary. Okay, so he's very attractive, confident, commanding, at ease with himself – but on the flip side, he's arrogant, and for all his impeccable manners, he's autocratic and cold. Well, on the surface. An involuntary shiver ran down my spine. He may have been arrogant, but then he had a right to be – he's accomplished so much. He doesn't suffer fools gladly, but why should he? Again, I'm irritated that Kehran didn't give me a brief overview.

While I reached Kehran's house, my mind continued to wander. I was truly perplexed as to what made someone so driven to succeed. Some of his answers were so cryptic – as if he had a hidden agenda. And Kehran's questions – merlin! His father and asking him about his relationship with his wife! I shuddered. I couldn't believe I said that.

I checked the time. I would have plenty of time to get back to work. And I knew it was the memory of two penetrating gray eyes gazing at me, and a stern voice telling me to take it easy. Shaking my head, I realized that Malfoy's not changed at all.

Kehran and I both lived in a small community of large houses in the village of Bamburgh, Northumberland. I was lucky to have such a nice spacious house really – Kehran's had grown up in hers, but Tom and I had bought ours when we returned to England. It'd only been my home for sixth months but I still found so much comfort in it. As I walked past my own home and towards Kehran's whose stood next to me, I knew she was go ing to want a blow-by-blow account, as I knocked on the door I recalled her tenacity. Well, at least she had the quick quotes quill. I hoped I wouldn't have to elaborate much beyond what was said during the meeting.

"Ada! You're done." Kehran answered the door before returning to her seat in the living area, surrounded by documents. She had clearly been planning her own presentation – though she was wearing a pink nightgown, the one I know she reserved for marital arguments, assorted illnesses, and for general moody depression. She bounded up to me and hugged me hard.

"I was beginning to worry. I expected you here sooner."

"Oh, I thought I made good time considering the meeting ran over." I waved the parchment at her.

"Ada, I have to say thank you so much for doing this. I owe you, I know. How was it? How was he with you?" Oh no – it begun, the Kehran Grunwell Inquisition.

I struggled to answer her question. What could I say?

"I'm glad it's over, and I don't have to see him again. He was rather intimidating, you know." I shrugged. "He's very focused, intense even – and he hasn't changed. He hasn't changed at all."

Kehran gazed innocently at me. I frowned at her.

"Don't look so innocent. Why didn't you give me an overview? He made me feel like such an idiot for not knowing the basic facts about his career." Kehran clamped a hand to her mouth.

"Merlin, Ada, I'm sorry – I didn't think."

I huffed.

"Mostly he was courteous, formal, and slightly stuffy – perhaps a little patronizing. He didn't talk to me like I was almost the same age as him. What _is _his job anyway?"

"He has his fingers in a lot of pies. Merlin, Ada, I'm sorry. I should have briefed you, but I was in such a panic. Let me have the notes, and I'll start transcribing the interview properly."

"You look better. Did you drink your tea at the office before you came home?" I asked, keen to change the subject.

"Yes, it made me feel better straight away. I feel much improved." She smiled at me in acknowledgement. I checked my watch.

"I have to go. I need to get back to the Ministry."

"Ada, you can take the afternoon off if you like, you look exhausted."

"I'll be fine. Bye."

I'd worked at the Ministry of Magic in England for sixth months. Despite the fact it's in the middle of London, and I'd only been there half a year, I'd come to know everyone there well – especially in my department, Magical Law Enforcement. My father had worked in that department, hence where I got the inspiration. It's ironic because I'm not very good at enforcing anything, I'd rather just read a book any day. I was glad I could make it to work as it gave me something to focus on that wasn't Lucius Malfoy. We were busy – there had just been a new influx of trainee aurors, and they needed to be taught about what the job entailed. The head of the department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones, was pleased to see me.

"Ada! I thought you weren't going to make it back today."

"The meeting didn't take as long as I thought. I can at least be here for a couple of hours."

"I'm very pleased to see you."

She sent me to the courtroom to give some documents to the Wizengamot, and I was soon absorbed in my work.

When I arrived home later, I saw Kehran on the way in and she invited herself in so we could further discuss the meeting that had taken place earlier that day. Her skin still held a greenish tinge, but she sat herself down and placed a pile of parchment on my dining room table, she began writing furiously with a concentrated look on her face. I was thoroughly drained – exhausted by the constant apparating back and forth, the gruelling meeting, and by being rushed off my feet at the Ministry. I slumped on to the sofa, thinking about the report I had to finish and all the preparation for the presentation I hadn't done because I was holed up with_… him._

"You've got some good information here, Ada. Well done. I can't believe you didn't take him up on his offer to show you around. He obviously wanted to spend more time with you." She gave me a fleeting quizzical look.

I flushed, and my heart rate inexplicably increased. That wasn't the reason, surely? He just wanted to show me around so I could see that he was lord of all he surveyed. I realized I was biting my lip, and I hoped Kehran didn't notice. But she seems absorbed in her transcrip tion.

"I see what you mean about how formalistic he is. Did you take any of your own notes?" she asked.

"Oh… no, I didn't."

"That's fine. I can still make a fine report with this. It's a shame we don't have more information about his relationship with magical law enforcement. He's very influential, he's good-looking too isn't he?"

I flushed.

"I suppose so." I tried hard to sound disinterested, and I thought I succeeded.

"Oh come on, Ada – I know you two have a history but even you can't be immune to his looks." She arched a perfect eyebrow at me.

"You probably would have got a lot more out of him."

"I doubt that, Ada. Come on – he practically offered you support with your career. Given that I foisted this on you at the last minute, you did very well." She glanced up at me speculatively. I made a hasty retreat across the hall into the kitchen.

"So what do you really think of him now?" Merlin, she was inquisitive. Why couldn't she just let it go?

"He's very compulsive, governing, scornful – shocking really, but very influential. I can understand the fascination," I added truthfully, as I peered round the door at her and hoped that would shut her up once and for all.

"You are fascinated by your ex-fiancé? That's a first," she snorted.

I called a house-elf to instruct him on what to make for dinner, turning so she couldn't see my face.

"Why did you want to know about his relationship with his wife? Incidentally, that was the most embarrass ing question. I was mortified, and he was annoyed to be asked too." I scowled at the memory.

"When he's pictured in The Daily Prophet, sometimes he's with her and sometimes he isn't."

"It was embarrassing. The whole thing was embarrassing. I'm glad I'll never have to lay eyes on him again."

"Oh, Ada, it can't have been that bad. I think he seems to have been quite taken with you."

"Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Please."

We spoke no more of Lucius Malfoy that evening, much to my relief. Once we'd eaten, Kehran went home to finish the transcription of the meeting, and I work on my report of a recent incident involving a Hit Wizard and a dangerous criminal_. _Merlin, this job was too action-packed for me sometimes. By the time I finished, it was midnight, and my husband has long since gone to bed. I made my way to our room, exhausted, but pleased that I'd accom plished so much for a Monday.

I curled up in our dark wooden bed, wrapped my arms around Tom, closed my eyes, and I was instantly asleep. That night I dreamt of dark places, matte black cold floors, and grey eyes.

For the rest of the week, I threw myself into my work and my upcoming presentation at the Ministry. Kehran was busy too, compiling her latest report for The Daily Prophet. By Wednesday, she was much better, and I no longer had to endure the sight of her pink-nightgown when I went to visit her. My mother came over from Greater London, so she could drop off some gifts for the children for me to send to Hogwarts. She proceeded to tell me about her latest venture into candle making – my mother is all about new business ventures. Fundamentally she's bored and wants something to occupy her time, but she had the attention span of a goldfish. It would be something new next week. She worries me. I hoped she hadn't mortgaged the house to finance that latest scheme. And I hoped that Paul – her relatively new but much older husband – was keeping an eye on her. He did seem a lot more grounded than Husband Number Three.

"How are things with you, Ada?"

For a moment, I hesitated, and I had Mother's full attention.

"I'm fine."

"Ada? Have you met someone else?"

"No, Mother, it's nothing. You'll be the first to know if I consider having some sort of affair."

"Ada, you really need to stop being so straight-laced, darling. You worry me."

"Mother, I'm fine. How's Paul?" As ever, distraction was the best policy.

Later that evening, I was also visited by my father, Mother's Husband Number One, the man who she separated from before I was born, and the man whose name I used to bear. It was a brief visit. In fact, it was not so much a visit as a one-sided series of grunts in response to my gentle coax ing conversation. My father was not a talker. But he's smart, he loves playing chess, and golf and quidditch or researching wandmaking. My father is very skilled creativity-wise and the reason I know the difference between a dragon heartstring wand and a phoenix feather wand. All seemed well with him.

On Friday night, Kehran and I were debating what to do with our evening – we wanted some time out from our work, from the Ministry, and from reports for The Daily Prophet – when the door opened. Standing in the doorway was my husband Tom, clutching a bottle of champagne.

"Tom! You're home early!" I gave him a quick kiss. "Kehran's here."

Tom was the only person I knew when I first moved to Germany, feeling absent and abandoned after Lucius broke off our engagement. We realised how well we got on that day, and soon became a couple, before we got married two years later, and went on to have three children; Dante, Isabel and Sadie – who were all now at Hogwarts. Not only do Tom and I share a sense of humour, but our fathers both worked for the Ministry and were always close friends. Tom works in the Department of International Magical Cooperation and works in the International Magical Trading Standards Body, hence why he was in Germany at the same time as me, but his real passion is law, and he longs to work in the International Magical Office of Law. He's far better at 'enforcing' than me.

"I have news." He grinned, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Don't tell me – you've managed not to get called to Barty Crouch's office at work for another week," I teased, and he scowled playfully at me.

"The International Magical Office of Law has invited me for an interview next month."

"That's amazing – congratulations!" Delighted for him, I kissed him again. Kehran beamed at him too.

"Well done Tom! I should research the job for you. There's nothing like digging a bit of dirt to help out a friend." She grinned.

"Let's celebrate. The office is holding a ball next month as well, I want you to come." Tom looked intently at me. I flushed. "Both of you, of course," he added, glancing nervously at Kehran.

Tom and I are a favourable couple, but I know deep down inside, he loves me more than I love him. He's adorable and clever, but recently he's felt more like a best friend to me. Kehran often teases me that I should find someone else, but the truth is, I just haven't met anyone who... well, who I'm really attracted to, even though part of me longs for those trembling knees, heart-in-my-mouth, butterflies-in-my-belly and sleepless nights I had over Lucius so many years ago.

Sometimes I wonder if there's something wrong with me. Perhaps I'm destined to compare everyone to Lucius, and consequently my ideals and expectations are far too high. But in reality, nobody but him has ever made me feel like that.

I watched Tom wave his wand to open the bottle of champagne. He's tall, and his dark trousers and crisp shirt he was all shoulders and muscles, tanned skin, copper hair and ocean blue eyes. Yes, Tom's pretty captivating, but I can't help but crave something else: something more exciting. The cork makes its loud pop, and Tom looks up and smiles.

Tuesday at the Ministry was a nightmare. We were besieged by the trainee aurors desperate to learn about all the individual sub-departments. Amelia Bones, Kehran, Jonny and Pierce – two of the senior Hit Wizards who worked for us – and I were all rushed off our feet. But there was a lull around lunchtime, and Kehran asked me to check on some assignments while I was sitting behind my desk in my office discreetly eating my sandwich. I was engrossed in the task, checking dates of particular incidents against when they were due to happen and when they were completed, eyes flicking from the documents to my own parchment notes and back as I checked everything was in order. Then, for some reason, I glanced up... and found myself locked in the gallant grey gaze of Lucius Malfoy who was standing in front of my desk, staring at me intently.

"Mrs. Sallory. What a satisfying surprise." His gaze was determined and hard.

Merlin, what the hell was _he _doing there looking all business-like and serious with his tied back hair, in his cream shirt, navy blue trousers, and highly polished shoes? I thought my mouth had popped open, and I couldn't locate my brain or my voice.

"Mr. Malfoy," I whispered, because that's all I could manage. There was a ghost of a smile on his lips and his eyes were alight with humour, as if he was enjoying some private joke.

"I was here on business," he said by way of explanation. "I was told to come to you as there are several forms I need to sign regarding the meeting we had. It's a pleasure to see you again, Mrs. Sallory." His voice was warm and husky like dark melted chocolate fudge caramel… or something.

I shook my head to gather my wits. My heart was pounding a frantic tattoo, and for some reason I was blushing furiously under his steady scrutiny. I was utterly thrown by the sight of him stood before me. My memories of him did not do him justice. He's not merely good-looking – he's the epitome of male beauty, breathtaking, and there he was. There in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I couldn't believe it. Finally my cognitive functions were restored and reconnected with the rest of my body.

"Ada. Call me Ada," I muttered. "What exactly do you need me to do, Mr. Malfoy?"

He smiled, and again it was like he was privy to some big secret. It was so disconcerting. Tak ing a deep breath, I put on my professional I've-worked-in-this-industry-for-years façade.

"I was told by Mrs. Grunwell that there are a few forms I need to sign in order to confirm that it was me who gave you that information during the meeting. To start with, I'll sign the certificate of authenticity," he murmured, his grey eyes biting but diverted.

"I think there are a few of them. Shall I show you?" I muttered, my voice soft and wavering.

"Please. Lead the way, Mrs. Sallory," he said. I tried for nonchalance as I come out from behind my desk, but really I was concentrating hard on not falling over my own feet – my legs were suddenly the consistency of jelly. I was so glad I decided to wear my best trousers this morning.

"They're in this filing cabinet, number eight I think." My voice was a little too illuminated. I glanced up at him and regretted it almost immediately. Merlin, he's impressive. I blushed.

"After you," he murmured, gesturing with his long-fingered, beautifully sculpted hand.

With my heart almost strangling me – because it was in my throat trying to escape from my mouth – I headed to the other side of my office.

"Are you in London on business?" I asked, and my voice was too high, like I had my finger trapped in a door or something.

"I was visiting the Improper Use of Magic Office. They contacted me yesterday and invited me in. I'm currently fund ing a programme to further prohibit the use of underage magic outside of Hogwarts," he said matter-of-factly.

"All part of your role as a governor I presume?" I teased.

"Something like that," he acknowledged, and his lips quirked up in a half smile.

He gazed at the certificates of authenticity I presented him with. Why on earth didn't Kehran do this for him? This was too official to be part of my job. His fingers trail across the various parchments displayed, and for some inexplicable reason, I had to look away. He bent and selects a piece.

"This is the one," he said with his oh-so-secret smile, and I blushed.

"Are there any others?"

"There should be a disclaimer to confirm that everything I said was my opinion and not that of the Ministry."

"Do you come to the Ministry often?" The words were out before I could stop them. Surely he hires people to do simple assignments for at the Ministry for him?

"No, not too often," he said quickly then smirked, and I had the uncanny feeling that he was laughing at me.

"This one," I murmured embarrassed. "Disclaimers are in the first filing cabinet."

I glance behind me as he followed.

"Have you worked here long?" His voice was low, and he was gazing at me, grey eyes concentrated hard. I blushed even more blazingly. Why the hell did he have this effect on me? I felt like I was seventeen years old again – but not as confident, married, and out of place.

"Six months," I muttered as I found the right piece of parchment. To distract myself, I reached down and selected the two different types of disclaimers we had.

"That's the one," Malfoy said softly pointing to the one I held in my right hand, which I passed to him. Our fingers brushed very briefly, and the old current was there again, zapping through me like I had touched an exposed wire. I gasped involuntarily as I felt it, all the way down to somewhere dark and unexplored, deep in my belly. Desperately, I scrabbled around for my equilibrium.

"Do you need anymore?" My voice was husky and breathy. His eyes widened slightly.

"A confirmation form to declare that it was me, and you didn't make it up." His voice mirrored mine, throaty.

"That'll be in filing cabinet three." I ducked my head down to hide my recurring blush and headed for said cabinet.

"Which one were you looking for? I'm sorry I don't know much about this... this is my boss's job really... I don't know why she sent you to me..." I halted at his expression, his eyes darkened, Merlin.

"Just the first one is fine."

Quickly, with trembling fingers, I handed him the parchment he asked for, aware that his hot grey gaze was on me. I dared not look at him. Merlin, could I have felt any more self-conscious? Taking a quill from my pocket, I handed it to him and allowed him to sign the forms. By some miracle, I managed to keep my composure as he did so.

"What exactly is your job?" he asked, sculptured, sensual lips curled in amusement.

"Assistant head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad, but I do a lot of work in general just for Magical Law Enforcement, Mr. Malfoy."

He arched a brow.

"What does that entail, Ada?" he asked, his voice was soft and his secret smile was back. I gazed at him unable to express myself. I was on shifting tectonic plates.

"Doing what my boss is too important to do," I whispered.

"What do you do when you're not at work?" He cocked his head to one side.

"Oh, I'm sure you know. The same sort of things I used to do. I read. If my children are home I spend time with them, mainly."

He rubbed his chin with his long index finger and thumb as he contemplated my answer. Or perhaps he was just very bored and trying to hide it.

"Anything else you need?" I had to get off this subject – those fingers on that face were so beguiling.

"I don't know. Is there?"

What does he need? I had no idea what that meant.

"Do you expect me to know?"

He nodded, grey eyes alive with impish humour. I flushed, and my eyes strained of their own accord to his snug trousers.

"Perhaps my boss could help you if you're unsure of what else you need to do," I replied, and I knew I was no longer screening what was coming out of my mouth.

He raised an eyebrow, amused, yet again.

"You wouldn't want me to get it wrong," I gestured vaguely in the direction of the door.

"If you did I could always correct you." He smirked.

"Oh." I felt the colour in my cheeks rising again. I must've been the colour of the Gryffindor common room.

"Perhaps I will call in on Mrs. Grunwell. Merlin forbid I should spend any time with someone I used to be very close with," he said dryly.

I tried to dismiss the unwelcome thought of us being close again.

"Do you need anything else from me today?" I squeaked as I took my quill from him.

He ignored my inquiry.

"How's the report of our meeting coming along?"

He had finally asked me a normal question, away from all the innuendo and the confusing double talk... a question I could answer. I grasped it tightly with two hands as if it were a life raft, and I went for honesty.

"I'm not writing it, Kehran is. Mrs. Grunwell. My boss, she submits the reports to The Daily Prophet. She is very happy with it. She is a big supporter of yours, and she was devastated that she couldn't do the meeting in person." I felt like I'd come up for air – at last, a normal topic of conversation. "Her only concern is that she doesn't have any information on why exactly you support Magical Law Enforcement."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow.

"What sort of information does she want?"

Okay. I hadn't factored in that response. I shook my head, because I just didn't know.

"Well, I'm around. Tomorrow, perhaps… " he trailed off.

"You'd be willing to attend another meeting?" My voice was squeaky again. Kehran would be in paradise if I could pull that off.

"Kehran will be delighted – if we can find a place to hold it at short notice." I was so pleased, I smiled at him largely. His lips parted, like he was taking a sharp intake of breath, and he blinked. For a fraction of a second, he looked lost somehow, and the Earth shifted slightly on its axis, the tectonic plates slid into a new position.

"Let me know about tomorrow. Send me an owl before ten o'clock tomorrow morning to confirm."

"Okay." I grinned up at him. Kehran was going to be thrilled.

"ADA!"

Pierce had materialized at the door of my office. He was one of the best Hit Wizards in the country. I'd heard he was at home in Ripon, I wasn't expecting to see him on that day.

"Oh, excuse me for a moment, Mr. Malfoy." Malfoy frowned as I turned away from him.

Pierce has always been a friend, and in that strange moment that I was having with the rich, powerful, amazingly off-the-scale attractive control-freak Malfoy, it was great to talk to someone who was normal. Pierce hugged me hard taking me by surprise.

"Ada, hello, it's so good to see you!" he gushed.

"Hello Pierce, how are you? Didn't you go home for your sister's birthday?"

"Yes but I'm back now. You're looking well, Ada, really well." He grinned as he examined me at arm's length. Then he released me but kept a possessive arm draped over my shoulder. I shuffled from foot to foot, embarrassed. It was good to see Pierce, but he'd always been over-familiar.

When I glanced up at Lucius Malfoy, he was watching us like a hawk, his grey eyes were hooded and speculative, and his mouth was a hard impassive line. He had changed from the oddly attentive person to someone else – someone cold and distant.

"Pierce, I'm doing business at the moment. With someone you should meet," I said, trying to defuse the antagonism I saw in Malfoy's eyes. I dragged Pierce over to meet him, and they weighed each other up. The atmosphere was suddenly arctic.

"Well, Pierce, this is Lucius Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy, this is Pierce McElduff. He is one of the senior Hit Wizards." And for some irrational reason, I felt I had to explain a bit more.

"I've known Pierce ever since I started working here, though we don't see each other that often. He's back from Ripon where he's originally from."

"Mr. McElduff." Lucius held his hand out, his look unreadable.

"Mr. Malfoy," Pierce returned his handshake. "I have to say – it is great to meet you! Your support for the Ministry is amazing!" Pierce went from surly to awestruck in less than a nanosecond. Malfoy gave him a polite smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Well – is there anything I can do for you?"

"Ada has it covered, Mr. McElduff. She's been very attentive." His expression was impassive, but his words… it was like he was saying something else entirely. It was baffling.

"Great," Pierce responded. "I'll see you later, Ada."

"Of course, Pierce." I watched him disappear out of my office door. "So is there actually anything else I can do for you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I think I've finished thank you." His tone was abrupt and distant. Merlin... had I offended him? I took a deep breath, and turned and headed back toward my desk.

I waved my wand closing the filing cabinets, set my quill down on my desk after making a note of what he'd signed, and rounded my desk again.

"Thank you, for taking the time to come in and do this." I glanced up at Malfoy, and I wished I hadn't. He was watching me closely, his grey eyes were intense and smoky. It was unnerving.

"Do you know the way out?" I asked as I turned to face him fully.

"Yes thank you, Ada." His tongue caressed my name, and my heart once again was frantic. I could hardly breathe. Hurriedly, I walked to the door.

"You'll send me an owl if you want to go ahead with another meeting?" He was all business once more. I nodded, rendered speechless yet again, and held the door open for him.

"Good, until tomorrow perhaps." He turned to leave, then paused. "Oh – and Ada, I'm glad Mrs. Grunwell couldn't do the meeting." He smiled, then strode with renewed purpose out of my office, straightening his already perfect robes, leaving me a quiver ing mass of raging female hormones. I spent several minutes staring at the closed door through which he had just left before I returned to planet Earth.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Kehran was elated.

"But I thought he only came to sign the documents?" Her curiosity oozed through. I was in the depths of sorting out my filing cabinet, which had been messed up due to his unexpected arrival; I tried to keep my voice indiscriminate.

"We got to talking."

"I think that is one huge coincidence, Ada. You don't think he wanted to see you?" she speculated. My heart lurched at the prospect, but it was a short-lived joy. The dull, disappointing reality was that he was there solely to sign the documents and was just being polit.

"You sent him the message that told him to come to me for help. He was just doing what was necessary," I mutter.

"Well yes. I can't believe I forgot to tell you to take them with you to the meeting."

"Why are so interested anyway?"

"Ada, he helps our department, the man is of such high standing. Of course I'm interested."

"Okay, boss, keep your hair on. So do you want this other meeting?"

"Of course I do. The question is, who's going to do it and where."

"We couldn't do in our department. There's meetings on in both our offices."

"We'll have to find a spare board room in the ministry. How do we contact him?"

"He told me to send him an owl."

Kehran gasped.

"The richest, most elusive, most enigmatic wizard that you were once engaged to, asked you to owl him."

"Oh… yes."

"Ada! He still likes you. No doubt about it." Her tone was emphatic.

"Kehran, he was just trying to be nice." But even as I said the words, I know they weren't true – Lucius Malfoy doesn't do _nice. _He does polite, maybe.

"I don't know where we're going to have the meeting. My friend Elliott, in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, won't be able to lend us his office. He's got some big board meeting tomorrow. He'll be annoyed that he won't be able to associate with someone like Malfoy though."

"Well... Tom's office might be free?"

"Marvellous idea – you ask him – you know what he's like, he'll do anything for you. Then send a letter to Malfoy and find out when he wants us." Kehran was annoyingly condescending about Tom."

"I think you should send a message to him."

"Send a message to whom, Tom?" Kehran scoffed.

"No, Malfoy."

"Ada, you're the one with the relationship."

"I'm the one with the relationship?" I squeaked at her, my voice raised several octaves. "It's been fifteen years."

"At least you know him," she said bitterly. "And it looks like he wants some sort of relationship with you again. Ada, just send him a letter," she snapped and walked out of my office. She is so bossy sometimes. I frowned at the door, sticking my tongue out at it.

I was just sending an owl to Tom when Pierce entered my office looking for something he'd lost.

"There's people on the team looking for you out there, Ada. They want to talk to you about some sort of issue apparently," he said without acrimony.

"Yes, oh, sorry," I muttered, turning to leave.

"So, how do you know Lucius Malfoy?" Pierce's voice was unconvincingly nonchalant.

"I had a meeting with him the other day in place of Kehran. We go way back as well." I shrugged, trying to sound casual and doing no better than him.

"Lucius Malfoy was in your office – who would have thought it?" Pierce snorted, amazed. He shook his head as if to clear it. "Anyway, do you want to go for a drink or something this evening?"

Whenever he sees me he asks me on to go out with him, and I always say no. It's a ritual. I've never considered it a good idea for a married woman to go out on her own with another man, even if he is single and besides, Pierce is attractive in a whole some boy-next-door kind of way, but he's no Greek God, not by any stretch of the imagination.

"Don't you have to go home to your family or your brother?"

"Not tonight."

"Thank you for the offer, Pierce. But I'm married. And I have a lot of work to do."

"Ada, one of these days, you'll say yes," he smiled as I escape out of my office door.

/

"But I'm only supposed to lend my office out for meetings within my department, Ada, not externally," Tom groaned.

"Tom, please?" I begged. Clutching some parchment, I paced our living room, staring out of the window at the evanescent evening light.

"It's not too much to ask." Kehran stood up from her chair, tossing her lustrous cherry-red hair over her shoulder.

"Listen here, Tom Sallory, if you want to help your wife with her career, you'll let us use your office tomorrow, you can even be there to oversee it all if you want, understand?" Kehran could be amazingly brawny. Tom nodded in agreement.

"Good. Ada will tell you the time later. I'll see you tomorrow." He stood up and left the room.

"Sorted, all we need now is to decide when. Send him a letter." She held some more parchment out to me. My stomach twisted.

"Send Malfoy a letter, now!"

I scowled at her and summoned my owl, Charlie. I took a deep, steadying breath, and with shaking fingers, I began to write.

_Mr. Malfoy,_

_We'd like to go ahead with the meeting tomorrow. It will be held in the head office of the International Magical Trading Standards Body. We hope to see you then._

_Ada Sallory_

I sealed the letter quickly and gave it to Charlie, within thirty minutes he returned with a different letter in his beak.

_Mrs. Sallory,_

_How nice to hear from you. I know where that office is, I will meet you there at half past nine tomorrow morning. I look forward to it._

_Lucius Malfoy._

I could almost see the smirk and the wicked gleam in his eyes he would've been wearing as he wrote it, in his perfectly sculpted calligraphic handwriting. Kehran was in my kitchen getting a drink when I walked in to tell her, and she was staring at me with a look of complete and utter consternation on her face.

"Ada Rosemary Sallory – you still have feelings for him! I've never seen you so, so... affected by anyone before. You're actually blushing."

"Oh Kehran, you know I blush all the time. It's an occupational hazard with me. Don't be so ridiculous," I snapped. She blinked at me with surprise – I very rarely throw my toys out of the pram – so I briefly relented. "I just find him… intimidating, that's all."

"He knows where it is, that figures," muttered Kehran as she looked at the reply. "I'll send Barty Crouch an owl and let him know what's going to happen, and that it's completely necessary."

"I'll fetch us some supper before you go. Then I need to do some more work," I couldn't hide my irritation with her as I called a house-elf.

I was worried that night, tossing and turning beside Tom - dreaming of shiny grey eyes, parchment, long legs, long fingers, and dim, lightless unexplored places. I woke twice in the night, my heart pounding.

/

The Department of International Magical Cooperation was set right in the centre of the Ministry. Its impressive black brick edifice was age-old but still looked like it could've been built yesterday. Tom, Carl and I were using the floo network from our house, and Kehran from hers, since the meeting was so early. Carl was Tom's friend and co-worker, there to make sure everything went to plan. Kehran had managed to sweet-talk Barty Crouch into allowing our meeting. When she explained to him that it was a meeting with Lucius Malfoy, he insisted that we needn't even have asked. He encouraged Carl to be there as well, however, so that he could report back to him on what Mr. Malfoy had to say. An over-keen receptionist brought refreshments to Tom's office – he was awfully boyish and excitable for some reason. I suspected it was Kehran's good looks and assertive manner that disarmed him, because he was putty in her hands. Tom's office was elegant, understated, and affluently furnished.

It was nine o'clock. We had half an hour to get ready. Kehran was in full flow.

"Tom, I think we'll have the meeting around your desk, do you agree?" She didn't wait for his reply. "Carl, bring some more chairs. Ada, could you put a silencing charm on the room so no one eavesdrops. And tell that receptionist to direct Malfoy to us if he doesn't actually no where it is."

Half an hour later, Lucius Malfoy walked into my husband's office.

"Mrs. Sallory, we meet again." Malfoy took my hand, and kissed it, I blinked rapidly. Oh my... he really was, quite... stunning. As he kissed my hand, I was aware of that tempting old current that ran right through me, it made me blush, and I was sure my peculiar breathing must've been audible.

"Mr. Malfoy, this is my boss Kehran Grunwell, I'm unsure if you've met properly before," I muttered, waving a hand toward Kehran who came forward, looking him squarely in the eye.

"The persistent Mrs. Grunwell, how are you?" He gave her a small smile, look ing genuinely amused. "I trust you're feeling better? Ada said you had an accident last week."

"I'm fine, thank you, Mr. Malfoy." She shook his hand firmly without batting an eyelid. I reminded myself that Kehran was from a pureblood family not unlike the Malfoys. Her family had money, and she had grown up confident and sure of her place in the Wizarding world. She didn't take any shit. I was in awe of her.

"Thank you for taking the time to do this." She gave him a polite, professional smile.

"It's a pleasure," he answered, turning his grey gaze on me, and I flushed again – Merlin.

"This is Tom Sallory, my husband – this is his office," I said, grinning at Tom who smiled with warmth back at me. His eyes cooled when he looked from me to Malfoy.

"Mr. Malfoy," he nodded.

"Mr. Sallory," Malfoy greeted back, his expression changed too as he appraised Tom.

"Well if this is your office, where would you like me?" Malfoy asked Tom. His tone sounded vaguely aggressive. But Kehran was not about to let Tom run the show.

"Mr. Malfoy – if you could sit here, please? Be careful of that quill on the floor. And then we'll proceed with the meeting." She directed him to a chair set up against Tom's desk.

Carl got out some parchment, obviously intending to take his own notes regarding Malfoy, and muttered a hello. Then Carl and I stood back as Tom lingered in the doorway while Kehran began to interrogate him. She asked several questions, asking Malfoy's opinion on nearly every aspect of our department, then the rest of the ministry, Hogwarts, and then the ministries of other countries. Moving to the side of me, Tom looked uncomfortable, while Malfoy sat confidently, patiently and naturally, for about twenty minutes. My wish has come true: I could stand and admire Malfoy from not-so-afar. Twice our eyes locked, and I had to tear myself away from his penetrating gaze.

"That's enough Ministry talk." Kehran waded in again. "How exactly would you define your own career, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked.

He answered, and Carl hurriedly wrote down what he was saying. I could hear Tom breathing heavily close to me, obviously nervous in the presence of the man I was once engaged to.

"I really need to get back to work," Tom announced five minutes later.

"That's fine," said Kehran. "Thank you again, Mr. Malfoy." She shook his hand, as did Tom.

"I look forward to reading the report in The Daily Prophet, Mrs. Grunwell," murmured Malfoy, and turned to me, stood at the back of the room. "Will you walk with me, Mrs. Sallory?" he asked.

"Of course," I said, completely thrown. I glanced gingerly at Kehran, who shrugged at me. I noticed Tom scowling next to me.

"Good day to you all," said Malfoy as he opened the door, standing aside to allow me out first.

"I'll get a message to you when I'm done, Patrick," he murmured to a long haired man I presumed must've been some sort of assistant. Patrick wandered back down the hall, and Malfoy turned his burning grey gaze to me.

"I wondered if you would join me for coffee this morning."

My heart slammed into my mouth. He wanted me to join him for coffee?

"I was planning on going home with Carl," I murmured apologetically, twisting my hands and fingers in front of me.

"PATRICK," he called, making me jump. Patrick, who had been retreating down the hall, turned and headed back toward us.

"Do you need to go with him?" Malfoy asked, his voice was velvety and analytical.

"Patrick can tell the others you won't be going home just yet. He's my assistant. He can take your things from your husband's office as well, and transfer them to yours."

"Mr. Malfoy?" Patrick asked when he reached us, giving nothing away.

"Please, can you tell Mrs. Sallory's husband, Carl and Mrs. Grunwell that she won't be returning home just yet?"

"Certainly, sir," Patrick replied.

"There. Now can you join me for coffee?" Malfoy smiled as if it was a done deal.

I frowned at him.

"Oh – Mr. Malfoy, well – this really… look, Patrick doesn't have to tell them." I flashed a brief look at Patrick, who remained stoically impassive. "I'll let Kehran know, if you give me a moment."

Malfoy smiled a dazzling, unguarded, natural, all-teeth-showing, glorious smile. _Oh my_… and he opened the door of the office so I could re-enter. I scooted around him to enter the room, finding Kehran in deep discussion with Tom.

"Ada, I think he's definitely interested in you again," she whispered while scooting me away from Tom. He glared at me with disapproval nonetheless, I didn't know if he heard or not. "But I don't trust him," she added. I raised my hand in the hope she would stop talking. By some miracle, she did.

"Kehran, I'll stay in London rather than go home, and then perhaps return to the office if that's okay with you?"

"Why?"

"Lucius has asked me to go for coffee with him."

Her mouth popped open. Speechless Kehran! I savoured the moment. She grabbed me by my arm and dragged me into the corner of the office.

"Ada, there's something about him." Her tone was full of warning. "He's very attractive, I agree, but I think he's dangerous, especially to a married woman, he probably spends half his time seducing them, but you're a different kettle of fish."

"What do you mean, a different kettle of fish?" I demanded, affronted.

"The pair of you have history, Ada. You know what I mean," she said a little irritated. I flushed.

"Kehran, it's just coffee. I have that presentation next week, and I need to prepare for it, so I won't be long."

She pursed her lips as if considering my request. Finally, she nodded her head. I put my hand on her shoulder.

"I'll see you later. Don't be long, or I'll send out the squad to come and find you."

"Thanks." I hugged her.

I emerge from Tom's office to find Lucius Malfoy waiting, stood near the wall, looking like a Greek God.

"Okay, let's go for coffee," I murmured, flushing a beet red.

He grinned.

"After you, Mrs. Sallory," he took a step forward, holding his hand out for me to go first. I made my way down the corridor, my knees shaky, my stomach full of butterflies, and my heart in my mouth thumping a dramatic uneven beat.

We walked together down the wide Ministry corridor to the lifts.

"How long have you known Kehran Grunwell?"

Oh, an easy questions for starters.

"Since I moved back to England – she's a good friend."

"Oh," he replied, non-committal. What was he thinking?

At the lifts, he pressed the call button, and the lift arrived almost immediately. The doors slid open revealing a young couple in a passionate clinch inside. Surprised and embarrassed, they jumped apart, staring guiltily in every direction but ours. Malfoy and I stepped into the elevator.

I was struggling to maintain a straight face, so I gazed down at the floor, feeling my cheeks turning pink. When I peeked up at Malfoy through my lashes, he had a hint of a smile on his lips, but it was very hard to tell. The young couple said nothing, and we travelled to our destination in silence. We didn't even have typical elevator music to distract us.

The doors opened and, much to my surprise, Malfoy took my arm, interlocking it with his. I felt the current run through me, and my already rapid heartbeat accelerated. As he led me out of the lift, we could hear the suppressed giggles of the couple erupting behind us. Malfoy grinned.

"I seem to remember us being in a similar situation once." He muttered.

We crossed the expansive, bustling lobby of the Ministry toward the entrances to the floo network, Malfoy gripped me tighter as he muttered Diagon Alley before the green flames rose around us.

Outside, it was a mild May Wednesday. The sun was shining and the flow of people wasn't too heavy. Malfoy turned left and strolled to the corner, where we stopped waiting for a group of people to get out of our way. He was still linking my arm.

We walked for about five minutes before we reached a cafe, where Malfoy released me to hold the door open so I could step inside.

"Why don't you choose a table, while I get the drinks. What would you like?" he asked, polite as ever.

"I'll have… well – a black coffee, with two shots."

He raised his eyebrows.

"Like it strong?"

"Yes I do, definitely."

He smiled.

"Okay, black coffee, two shots. Do you want sugar?"

For a moment I was stunned, I couldn't believe I was having coffee with my ex-fiancé, but fortunately I came back to reality.

"No thanks." I stared down at my knotted fingers.

"Do you want anything to eat?"

"No thank you." I shook my head, and he headed to the counter.

I surreptitiously gazed at him from beneath my lashes as he stood in line waiting to be served. I could watch him all day… he's tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular, and the way those trousers fit him… _Oh my. _Once or twice he ran his long, graceful fingers through his neat blonde hair.

"Can I have a penny for your thoughts?" Malfoy was back, startling me.

I went crimson.

"Your thoughts?" he prompted me.

"This is just how I like it." My voice was quiet, breathy. I simply couldn't believe I was sitting opposite Lucius Malfoy in a cafe in Diagon Alley. He frowned. He knew I was hiding something. I popped the spoon into the mug and began to stir. When I was done I placed the spoon back onto the side plate, he cocked his head gazing quizzically at me.

"I like my coffee black and very, very strong," I muttered as an explanation.

"I see. Do you love him?"

"Do I love who?"

"Do you love your husband - Tom Sallory?"

I laughed, nervous but curious. What made him ask that?

"Yes. Tom's my husband, of course I do. Why did you think I didn't?"

"The way you smiled at him, compared to the way he smiled at you." His grey gaze held mine. He was so un nerving. I wanted to look away but I was caught – spellbound.

"I do love him," I whispered.

Malfoy nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with my response, and glanced down at his own coffee. His long fingers deftly picked it up, and I watched, fascinated.

"Why do you like your coffee so strong?" he asked, and that amused, secret smile was back.

"It keeps me awake and it tastes better." I frowned and stared down at my hands again.

"And the man I met yesterday, in your office. Are you having an affair with him?"

"No! Pierce is just a friend. I told you yesterday." Oh, this was getting stupid. "Why do you ask?"

"He seemed very interested in you."

Merlin, he was observant.

"The feeling isn't mutual." I flushed scarlet, but mentally patted myself on the back for my candour, and gazed at my hands again. I heard his sharp intake of breath.

"Good," he nodded. "You can do better. Please don't look down. I like to see your face."

Oh. I glanced at him, and he gave me an encouraging but wry smile.

"It gives me some sort of clue what you might be thinking," he breathed. "You're a mystery to me now, Mrs. Sallory."

I was mysterious? Me?

"There's nothing mysterious about me."

"You've become very self-contained," he murmured.

Yes, and it's because of him.

"Except when you blush, of course, which you always have done - I just wish I knew what you were blushing about, I never have done, but I can guess." He took a small sip of his coffee, not taking his eyes off me. And as if on cue, I blushed.

"Do you always make such personal observations?"

"I hadn't realized I was. Have I offended you?" He sounded surprised.

"No," I answered truthfully.

"Good."

"But you still like to say exactly what you think," I retaliated quietly.

He raised his eyebrows and, if I was not mistaken, he flushed slightly too.

"I'm used to getting my own way, Ada," he murmurs, "all the time."

"I don't doubt it. Why haven't you asked me to call you by your first name again?" I was surprised by my audacity. Why had that conversation become so serious? It wasn't going the way I thought it was going to go. I couldn't believe I was feeling so antagonistic towards him. It was like he was trying to warn me off – of what, I didn't know.

"Usually, the only people who use my given name are my family and a few close friends. That's the way I like it."

Oh. He still hadn't said, 'Call me Lucius.' He _is _a control freak, there's no other explanation, and part of me is thinking maybe it would have been better if Kehran had been at the first meeting with him. Two control freaks together. Plus of course she's beautiful – well, completely stunning – like all the women in his house. _And she's more confident than me, _I reminded myself. I didn't like the idea of Lucius and Kehran. I took a sip of my coffee, and Malfoy took another sip of his.

"What are your children called?" he asked.

_Whoa_… he kept changing direction.

"Dante, Isabel and Sadie – they're triplets."

"Tell me about them."

Why did he want to know this? It's so _dull._

"They all go to Hogwarts obviously. They're all in Slytherin, as me and Tom were, they're in second year."

"It's a boy and two girls, correct?"

"Yes."

"Three's a lot," he muttered and a fleeting confused look crossed his face.

"Well we didn't plan on having three."

"I trust you were shocked when you found out you were having triplets?"

I laughed.

"You could say that."

He frowned at me.

"You're not giving much away, are you?" he said dryly, rubbing his chin as if in deep thought.

"Neither are you."

"You've asked me questions once already, and I can recollect some quite probing questions then." He smirked at me.

"People say Isabel and Dante look like me. Sadie definitely looks like Tom. And yes, I was terrified when I found out I was having triplets."

Lucius raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I miss them when they're at school," I continued. "It's good to know they have each other though. I like to think they keep an eye on each other." I smiled fondly. I hadn't seen them in so long. Lucius was watching me intently, taking occasional sips of his coffee. I really shouldn't look at his mouth. It's unsettling - those lips.

"Do you get along well with your husband?"

"Of course – we've been together a while now. He's the one I go home to every night."

"And what's he like?"

"Tom? He's… affectionate, hard-working and serious."

"Is he really?" Malfoy asked, surprised.

I shrugged. What did that man expect? My life story since he broke off our engagement?

"Serious like his wife," Malfoy prompted.

I refrained from rolling my eyes at him.

"He likes quidditch – English quidditch especially – and reading, and chess, and meeting with his friends. He buries himself into his work a lot – he's always busy." I sighed.

"Where do you live?"

"Northumberland – in a small village, it's a large house only surrounded by a few others, my boss lives in the one next to ours, purely by chance."

He frowned as if he didn't understand.

"You didn't want to live close to your boss?" he asked.

I blushed.

"I wouldn't have chosen it, no. It can be convenient. And… it can be irritating." I stopped. I never spoke to anyone about things like this. Where was Malfoy going with it? That _was _none of his business.

"Tell me about your family," I asked.

He shrugged.

"I have a son, Draco, he's in fourth year - Slytherin."

Oh… a single son. That didn't surprise me, all he needs is someone to pass on the Malfoy name to. And what an infamous name it is. His son must be lucky.

"What does your wife do?"

"She doesn't work, she doesn't need to, and she spends all her time with her friends or shopping." His eyes clouded with irritation. He didn't want to talk about his family or himself.

"That must be an easy life," I murmured. Why didn't he want to talk about his family? Was it because he was talking to me specifically?

"It is. Do you think you would like it?" he asked, his irritation forgotten.

"I have no way of knowing." So now we're back to banalities. What was he hiding?

"Would you like to try it?"

"Not having to work?" I squeaked. That has thrown me – who wouldn't want to have such an easy life? "Of course," I conceded. "But my reality is different from your wife's."

He cocked his head to one side, running his index finger across his lower lip… _oh my. _

"And that's because?"

I blinked rapidly.

"We're not as privileged as you, we might not be short of money, but we can't throw it away like you can either, that's not what real life is like. And it's not what my life is like."

The talk of real life brought me back to reality. I glanced at my watch.

"I'd better go. I have to work."

"Do you have a presentation to do next week, I know several departments are doing them?"

"Yes. I have a few."

"Which floo network do you use to get back?"

"I use one of the ones in the main lobby of the Ministry."

"I'll go back there with you."

"Thank you for the coffee, Mr. Malfoy."

He smiled his odd secretive smile.

"You're welcome, Ada. It's my pleasure. Come," he commanded, and held his arm out to me. I took it, bemused, and followed him out of the cafe.

We strolled back to the Ministry, and I would like to have said it was in companionable silence. He at least looked his usual calm, collected self. As for me, I was desperately trying to gauge how our little coffee morning had gone. I felt like I'd been interviewed for a position, but I was not sure what it was.

"Do you always wear trousers?" he asked out of the blue.

"Yes I do, mostly."

He nodded. We were back at the ministry, across the way from the fireplaces. My mind was reeling.

"Are you having an affair with someone?" I blurted out. Merlin - _I just said that out loud?_

His lips quirked up in a half-smile, and he looked down at me.

"No, Ada. I don't really do affairs," he said softly.

Oh… _what did that mean? _He had a good relationship with his wife? Oh, maybe he didn't - fuck! He must have lied to me in the meeting. And for a moment, I thought he was going to follow on with some explanation, some clue to that cryptic statement – but he didn't. I had to go. I had to try to reassemble my thoughts. I had to get away from him. I walked forward, and I tripped, stumbling headlong into one of the fireplaces.

"Merlin, Ada!" Malfoy cried. He tugged the arm that he was holding so hard that I fell back against him just as the flames flared up in front of me, narrowly missing me, blaring green was all I could see.

It all happened so fast – one minute I was falling, the next I was in his arms, and he was holding me tightly against his chest. .I inhaled his clean, vital scent. He smelt of fresh laundered linen and some exotic spices. _Oh my, _it was intoxicating. I inhaled deeply.

"Are you okay?" he whispered. He had one arm around me, clasping me to him, while the fingers of his other hand softly traced my face, gently probing, examining me. His thumb brushed my lower lip, and I heard his breath hitch. He was staring into my eyes, and I held his anxious, burning gaze for a moment or maybe it was forever… but eventually, my attention was drawn to his beautiful mouth. And I found myself, a married woman, wanting Lucius Malfoy, the man I was once incredibly in love with and engaged to, to kiss me.


End file.
